{"id":16896,"date":"2015-04-08T23:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-04-08T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/skydivemag.com\/new\/?p=16896"},"modified":"2015-04-08T23:00:00","modified_gmt":"2015-04-08T23:00:00","slug":"2015-04-09-performance-flight-competition-part-1-fo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/2015-04-09-performance-flight-competition-part-1-fo\/","title":{"rendered":"Performance Flight Competition: Part 1, Format"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Now that the FAI and IPC have accepted Wingsuit Performance Category as one of the new disciplines for world level competition, there is a strong surge in the interest of Performance-based flying. Wingsuit Performance Flight is an individual sport, pitting competitors against each other in three different areas \u2013 Time, Distance, and Speed \u2013 using the same suit. <\/p>\n

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The three tasks take place all within a competition \u201cwindow\u201d of 3,000 meters to 2,000 meters AGL (9,842 – 6,561 feet AGL). Competitions are scored by Rounds; there being three jumps per round (one Time, one Distance, one Speed). Scores are logged using the FlySight device (PLD) and the Paralog Competition software.<\/p>\n

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In this article, you\u2019ll find a bit of history, rules and format for Performance Flight competitions. A follow-up article will give tips and strategies for competition, and a third article discusses safety.<\/p>\n

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#HISTORY OF PERFORMANCE FLIGHT COMPETITIONS<\/p>\n

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Performance competitions held in the USA have been known as the \u201cPerformance Cup,\u201d first appearing at Lake Elsinore, California in 2011, with the author [Douglas Spotted Eagle] as Meet Director. Previous competitions for distance and time had been held at Skydive Utah<\/a> and Skydive Elsinore<\/a>; these competitions did not use the Flysight competitors logging system. In 2014, Zephyrhills, home of Skydive City<\/a>, hosted the first US Performance Cup not held at Skydive Elsinore.<\/p>\n

\"2014<\/p>\n

In early 2015, James Hayhurst of the USPA<\/a>, along with Klaus Rheinwald, creator of the competition format, presented the concept to the FAI\/IPC, who accepted the format. The first World Cup competition for Wingsuit Performance will be held at Netheravon, UK, in May of 2015. In March 2015, the United States Parachute Association accepted the Performance Category as a USPA-sanctioned event.<\/p>\n

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#OBJECTIVE<\/p>\n

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The objective is to fly a single wingsuit in three separate tasks to demonstrate a combination of best lift (time aloft), best glide ratio (distance) and least drag (speed). Each round of the event is comprised of the three tasks. Each task is performed on a separate flight.<\/p>\n

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###Time Task<\/p>\n

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The wingsuit flyer is to fly with the slowest fall rate possible through the competition window. The result will be the time taken to fly through the competition window, expressed in seconds, rounded to one decimal place.<\/p>\n

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###Distance Task<\/p>\n

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The wingsuit flyer is to fly as far horizontally as possible through the competition on window. The result will be the straight-line distance flown over the ground while in the competition window, expressed in meters, rounded to whole numbers.<\/p>\n

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###Speed Task<\/p>\n

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The wingsuit flyer is to fly as fast horizontally over the ground as possible through the competition window. The result will be the straight-line distance flown over the ground while in the competition window divided by the time spent in the competition window, expressed in meters per second (m\/s), rounded to one decimal place.<\/p>\n

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##Program<\/p>\n

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An event shall consist of three rounds, with three tasks in each round, for a total of nine jumps. At least one round of three tasks must be completed to determine rankings and declare winners.<\/p>\n

\"The
\"Satellites<\/p>\n

#RULES<\/p>\n

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